diff --git a/client.cpp b/client.cpp
index fcf37730c7..573b828943 100644
--- a/client.cpp
+++ b/client.cpp
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ Client::Client( Workspace* ws )
     modal = false;
     noborder = false;
     app_noborder = false;
+    motif_noborder = false;
     urgency = false;
     ignore_focus_stealing = false;
     demands_attention = false;
@@ -1617,12 +1618,18 @@ void Client::getWMHints()
 
 void Client::getMotifHints()
     {
-    bool mnoborder, mresize, mmove, mminimize, mmaximize, mclose;
-    Motif::readFlags( client, mnoborder, mresize, mmove, mminimize, mmaximize, mclose );
-    if( mnoborder )
+    bool mgot_noborder, mnoborder, mresize, mmove, mminimize, mmaximize, mclose;
+    Motif::readFlags( client, mgot_noborder, mnoborder, mresize, mmove, mminimize, mmaximize, mclose );
+    if( mgot_noborder )
         {
-        noborder = true;
-        app_noborder =  true;
+        motif_noborder = mnoborder;
+        // If we just got a hint telling us to hide decorations, we do so.
+        if ( motif_noborder )
+            noborder = true;
+        // If the Motif hint is now telling us to show decorations, we only do so if the app didn't
+        // instruct us to hide decorations in some other way, though.
+        else if ( !motif_noborder && !app_noborder )
+            noborder = false;
         }
     if( !hasNETSupport() )
         { // NETWM apps should set type and size constraints
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
index 662af5e311..13a3d67549 100644
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -536,7 +536,8 @@ class Client
         uint hidden : 1; ///< Forcibly hidden by calling hide()
         uint modal : 1; ///< NET::Modal
         uint noborder : 1;
-        uint app_noborder : 1; ///< The app requested no border using something (window type, motif hints)
+        uint app_noborder : 1; ///< App requested no border via window type, shape extension, etc.
+        uint motif_noborder : 1; ///< App requested no border via Motif WM hints
         uint urgency : 1; ///< XWMHints, UrgencyHint
         uint ignore_focus_stealing : 1; ///< Don't apply focus stealing prevention to this client
         uint demands_attention : 1;
diff --git a/utils.cpp b/utils.cpp
index 075368b8d4..ee3520d8b5 100644
--- a/utils.cpp
+++ b/utils.cpp
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ StrutRect::StrutRect( const StrutRect& other )
 // Motif
 //************************************
 
-void Motif::readFlags( WId w, bool& noborder, bool& resize, bool& move,
-    bool& minimize, bool& maximize, bool& close )
+void Motif::readFlags( WId w, bool& got_noborder, bool& noborder,
+    bool& resize, bool& move, bool& minimize, bool& maximize, bool& close )
     {
     Atom type;
     int format;
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ void Motif::readFlags( WId w, bool& noborder, bool& resize, bool& move,
         if ( data )
             hints = (MwmHints*) data;
         }
+    got_noborder = false;
     noborder = false;
     resize = true;
     move = true;
@@ -117,10 +118,10 @@ void Motif::readFlags( WId w, bool& noborder, bool& resize, bool& move,
             if( hints->functions & MWM_FUNC_CLOSE )
                 close = set_value;
             }
-        if ( hints->flags & MWM_HINTS_DECORATIONS ) 
+        if ( hints->flags & MWM_HINTS_DECORATIONS )
             {
-            if ( hints->decorations == 0 )
-                noborder = true;
+            got_noborder = true;
+            noborder = !hints->decorations;
             }
         XFree( data );
         }
diff --git a/utils.h b/utils.h
index 89981687e9..1cf0877193 100644
--- a/utils.h
+++ b/utils.h
@@ -192,9 +192,14 @@ const int ShapeInput = 2;
 class Motif 
     {
     public:
-        static void readFlags( WId w, bool& noborder, bool& resize, bool& move,
-            bool& minimize, bool& maximize, bool& close );
-        struct MwmHints 
+        // Read a window's current settings from its _MOTIF_WM_HINTS
+        // property.  If it explicitly requests that decorations be shown
+        // or hidden, 'got_noborder' is set to true and 'noborder' is set
+        // appropriately.
+        static void readFlags( WId w, bool& got_noborder, bool& noborder,
+            bool& resize, bool& move, bool& minimize, bool& maximize,
+            bool& close );
+        struct MwmHints
             {
             ulong flags;
             ulong functions;